WHEN Robert Wilson promised his daughter and her two foreign visitors the ultimate close-up view of the Forth Rail Bridge, they never expected it would involve the coastguard.

The retired electrical engineer had driven Philippa Fielden and her two Australian friends to the viewpoint on Long Craig Pier in South Queensferry around 6pm on Tuesday.

But as the 79-year-old negotiated a three-point turn, the trip took a more adventurous direction as his automatic silver Ford Mondeo suddenly careered forward and plunged 15ft into the sea.

The car’s electronic central locking shorted out, jamming Mr Wilson’s door, but luckily Mrs Fielding and her friends managed to struggle free from the partially submerged car as it began drifting out towards the iconic bridge on the receding tide.

The 44-year-old children’s cancer nurse then managed to grab her trapped father, pulling him across the passenger seat and out, allowing them to swim to safety.

By the time coastguards and a lifeboat crew arrived on the scene, after an emergency call from a member of the public, all four were standing safe but soaked through on the pier-side.

Mr Wilson said: “It all happened so quickly and the sea was up to the roof of the car. We were up to our necks in the water, we got a fright.

“It happened all in a flash but thankfully nobody was hurt.”

Mr Wilson was suffering from shock and was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary as a precaution, but he was released soon after his arrival at the hospital.

His daughter Mrs Fielden was celebrating her 44th birthday during her trip and was staying with her sister Stephanie Reid in the West Lothian town.

Mr Wilson and his wife Margaret, 80, had travelled to South Queensferry from their home in Accrington, Lancashire, on Saturday to join the celebrations, and he was still recovering there yesterday.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said: “They’ve had a very lucky escape. I don’t think this was the type of sightseeing the ladies had in mind.